"The Last Mile" ECR Practice

PART A: What is the central theme of "The Last Mile"?

• Success is measured by the recognition of others.

• Determination and hard work lead to personal achievement.

• Winning a competition is the most important goal.

• Physical strength is more important than mental strength.

PART B: Which sentence from the story best supports the theme identified in Part A?

• "His legs burned, and his breath came in ragged gasps."

• "The crowd cheered as he neared the finish line, but he barely heard them."

• "Tears filled his eyes—not from exhaustion, but from pride."

• "He had trained for months, waking up before dawn, running in the rain, and ignoring the doubt that crept into his mind."

Who or what is the main character/thing the passage is about?

• Jordan Ellis

• the sun

• tournament

• Marco

Which BACKGROUND SENTENCE is written correctly?

Rememeber to use TAMS (Title, Author, Main character/thing, Short summary)

• In the passage, The Last Mile, by Jordan Ellis, Jordan wins his first race.

• Marco struggles through his first marathon, facing exhaustion and doubt.

• In the passage, The Last Mile, by Jordan Ellis, Marco struggles through his first marathon, facing exhaustion and doubt.

• In the passage, The Last Mile, Marco struggles through his first marathon, facing exhaustion and doubt.

Where do we get the THESIS STATEMENT from?

Choose the best THESIS STATEMENT for the ECR prompt.

• Marco’s determination contributes to his success in the story.

• Marco is determined and successful.

• The excerpt "The Last Mile" is about Marcos running a marathon and feeling defeated.

• Marco’s determination contributes to his success because it helps him overcome physical and mental challenges.

Which is the best TOPIC SENTENCE for the first body paragraph based on the following THESIS STATEMENT.

THESIS: Marco’s determination contributes to his success because it helps him overcome physical and mental challenges.

• Furthermore, Marco’s determination allows him to push through his physical and mental exhaustion.

• First of all, Marco’s determination allows him to push through his physical and mental exhaustion.

• Marco’s determination allows him to push through his physical and mental exhaustion.

• First of all, Marco shows his determination throughout the story.

Which quote best matches the TOPIC SENTENCE and can be used in the CITE EVIDENCE part?

TOPIC SENTENCE: First of all, Marco’s determination allows him to push through his mental and physical exhaustion.

• For example, the passage states, "The sun had nearly set as Marco pushed through the final mile of his first marathon."

• For example, the passage states, "The crowd cheered as he neared the finish line, but he barely heard them."

• For example, the passage states, “Every step felt impossible, but he refused to stop.”

• For example, the passage states, “With one final push, he crossed the line and collapsed onto the pavement.”

Which sentence best EXPLAINS the QUOTE and TOPIC SENTENCE?

TOPIC SENTENCE: First of all, Marco’s determination allows him to push through exhaustion.

CITE EVIDENCE: For example, the text states, “Every step felt impossible, but he refused to stop.”

• This shows that despite his body's urge to give up, his strong mindset and determination to prove himself enabled him to persist through the pain and successfully complete the marathon.

• This shows that Marco was unsure if he could finish the marathon but relied on the cheering crowd to push him forward.

• This shows that Marco’s training had completely eliminated any pain or exhaustion, making it easy for him to reach the finish line.

• This shows that Marco’s physical strength alone allowed him to complete the marathon without struggle.

Which RESTATED THESIS can be used for the conclusion?

Select TWO correct answers.

THESIS: Marco’s determination contributes to his success because it helps him overcome physical and mental challenges.

• Overall, Marco’s determination contributes to his failure because it helps him overcome physical and mental challenges.

• Overall, Marco’s determination contributes to his success because it helps him overcome physical and mental challenges.

• Marco’s determination contributes to his success because it does not help him overcome his physical and mental gifts.

• Overall, Marco’s perseverance leads to his achievement because it allows him to push past both bodily exhaustion and mental obstacles.

• Marco’s determination leads to his falure because it allows him to feel overwhelmed with his bodily exhaustion and mental obstacles.